Medieval chess

ABSTRACT

A modified chess game for play by two players comprising a game board ten squares wide and ten squares deep, and utilizing an expanded set of chess pieces including a full set of traditional chess pieces plus three (3) new pieces to be known as “medieval chess pieces”. Each player has a set of chess pieces consisting of one King, one Queen, two Rooks, two Knights, two Bishops, two Trebuchets, two Carriages, eight Guards, and ten Pawns. The pieces are positioned in three rows per side, wherein the back row has a Trebuchet, Rook, Knight, Bishop, King, Queen, Bishop, Knight, Rook, and Trebuchet; the second row has four Guards, two Carriages positioned in front of the King and Queen, and four Guards; and the third row has ten Pawns. Traditional chess pieces are moved pursuant to conventional movements and rules of capture in traditional chess, and the new chess pieces are moved pursuant to moves and rules of capture described herein for the game of Medieval Chess. The game ends in accordance with traditional rules of chess.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

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STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT

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REFERENCE TO SEQUENCE LISTING, A TABLE, OR A COMPUTER PROGRAM LISTINGCOMPACT DISC APPENDIX

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BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention pertains to board games and more particularly toimprovements in chess games, and applies to all forms of chess games,including electronic, online, physical, and any other form present orfuture.

In traditional chess, two opposing armies face each other across aplaying board of 64 equal squares, eight squares across and eightsquares deep. The armies consist of eight Pawns, two Rooks (castles),two Knights, two Bishops, a Queen and a King. These pieces can bereferred to as traditional chess pieces.

The game ends immediately when one player captures the opposing King orwhen the game is played to stalemate. As a result, the duration of thegame is often short, typically around 20 minutes according to many gamesites. Moreover, the popularity of chess notwithstanding, traditionalchess has become overly familiar as many game sequences have beendefined and even labeled. Advanced chess players, planning ahead severalmoves as part of the strategic component of chess, can often recognizethe patterns of movements being employed by their opponents.

To overcome these disadvantages, several variations to the game of chesshave been suggested. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 3,610,626 to Noltediscloses a chess-like game wherein the size of the playing area and thenumber of chess figures is increased. Similarly, U.S. Pat. No. 4,856,789to Carlson discloses a chess set comprising a game board fifteen squareswide and twelve squares deep for play by two teams of two players each.These games have not appeared to capture the public's imagination.

Other variations of chess utilize a ten by ten checkered board, such asMagi Chess, Mastodon Chess, and Grand Chess. Mastodon Chess introduces anew chess piece as well, but retains the same traditional chess piecesand arranges them more spaciously on the larger board. These new chessgames do not appear to be patented as yet, but there is an applicationpending for Magi Chess. Leo Chess (U.S. Pat. No. 6,913,261), Civil WarChess (U.S. Pat. No. 5,306,017), and NuChess also utilize larger gameboards. There appears to be, however, a real need for an easy-to-learn,challenging form of chess that appeals to the popular interest inmedieval times.

This invention seeks to create a chess game that incorporates aspects ofmedieval warfare, including siege weapons and skilled infantry, with theobjective of adding interest, strategy, and complexity to thetraditional game of chess.

To accommodate the larger set of game pieces, the board has beenenlarged to that of an actual medieval checker board: ten (10) squaresby ten (10) squares. It is interesting to note that the board on whichchess is traditionally played, a “checkerboard”, in fact dates frommedieval times when the use of Roman numerals made it difficult tocalculate math sums, particularly among an illiterate population. Aten-by-ten checkered board was devised to help calculate math andbusiness transactions publically, in other words, to “check” the math bylaying coins on a “checker board”. The ten-by-ten game board used inthis invention will be referred to as a “medieval checkerboard”.

Traditional rules of chess with regard to traditional pieces (King,Queen, Rooks, Bishops, Knights, and Pawns) are in effect to ensurecontinuity and facilitate ease of learning the new game. The new chesspieces add substantial complexity and strategy to the game of chess,providing a greater challenge for experienced players while adding morefun and novelty for less-experienced players.

Medieval Chess adds a siege weapon that was popular in medieval times,the Trebuchet, to function as a slow-moving long-range assault weapon.In Medieval Chess, the Trebuchet moves slowly, only one square at atime, and only forward, backward, and side to side. Like medievaltrebuchets, the Trebuchet lacks agility and can be swarmed and capturedby pieces that manage to get in under its range of attack. Oncecaptured, the Trebuchet cannot be retrieved by promotion, that is, itcannot be restored to play if a Pawn is promoted, just like a damagedtrebuchet in medieval times took time to build and could not be easilyreplaced. The Trebuchet cannot capture by rolling over other players,that is, by moving to a space occupied by another game piece. Theadvantage of the Trebuchet is its long-range attack. The Trebuchet cancapture three (3) squares horizontally and vertically, and two (2)squares diagonally, over other pieces, effectively removing Pawns andGuards from play, and reaching over the front lines to capture royaltypieces: Bishops, Knights, Rooks, and the Queen and King. The Trebuchetprovides numerous new strategies for playing the game of chess.

Medieval Chess also adds skilled infantry to the game, in the form ofGuards. Also known as Huskarls or just Karls, the Guard is modeled afterskilled body guards, or “house guards”, that were employed in medievaltimes. The Guards have more mobility than Pawns and a wider range ofcapture, as they can move and capture both forward and backward, andtherefore have the ability to move out to meet an opponent and move backto protect the King and Queen.

The most dynamic and powerful new piece to be added to Medieval Chess iscalled a Carriage. The Carriage operates similarly to a Roman chariot.It is a fast moving and agile piece that can sally into combat like aKnight, with up to 44 different squares upon which it can affect acapture. Unlike a Knight, the Carriage cannot jump over pieces, but itcan move around them, moving up to three squares on a single move. Whatis most challenging is that the Carriage does not, and in fact may not,move in a straight line. It cannot move two squares in the samedirection consecutively. For example, it can move diagonally one square,then horizontally one square, then diagonally one square again. Thismobility makes Medieval Chess much more exciting than traditional chess,and more challenging when planning one's moves.

The Carriage is also a strategic piece, because it can be used to rescuethe King or Queen if they are in danger of capture. A new move inMedieval Chess called “carriaging” permits a player to move their Kingor Queen to the square occupied by one of their Carriages and take theCarriage out of play. Carriaging can prolong the game of Medieval Chessby averting a checkmate. Because of the power of carriaging, Carriages,like Trebuchets, cannot be retrieved by promotion once taken out of playor captured.

The three new pieces of Medieval Chess and the new move of carriagingmake the game significantly more engaging than traditional chess.Because Medieval Chess builds upon traditional chess, it is easy tolearn while delivering more variety of moves and methods of capture.Medieval Chess more closely resembles traditional medieval warfare withthe addition of siege weapons and skilled infantry and cavalry,providing enthusiasts of that era a fun, easy-to-learn game thatrecreates the challenges and strategic considerations of medievalwarfare. Although there are many chess sets that feature pieces thatlook like medieval characters, suggesting substantial interest in theconcept of medieval times and chess, there are no games as yet on themarket that seek to replicate the unique features of that era of warfarein chess. Medieval Chess is unique in this regard.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In view of the foregoing, it should be apparent that a need still existsfor a modified chess game that increases the challenge and length ofplay of the traditional chess game and that incorporates aspects ofmedieval warfare.

Accordingly, it is a primary objective of this invention to provide amodified chess game which provides three new chess pieces and theirmoves and captures, thereby increasing the strategic considerations andscope of the game.

Another objective of this invention is to provide a chess game that isplayed on a ten-by-ten checkered board, referred to as a “medievalcheckerboard”, to increase the historical relevance and general interestin medieval times, and to provide a larger playing area for theincreased number of game pieces to maneuver in.

Another object of this invention is to provide a chess game thatincorporates aspects of medieval warfare, in particular siege weaponsand skilled infantry. The new pieces are to provide both the advantagesand disadvantages that their actual counterparts incurred in medievaltimes. So, the Trebuchet is a slow-moving, long-range weapon used tobreak down defenses over enemy lines, but is subject to easy capture.The Carriage is a fast-moving, agile piece that is hard to predict instrategic planning, but its value as a means of escape for the King orQueen present strategic incentives for conservative usage. The Guardsoperate as skilled infantry of medieval times, with greater mobility andcapability than Pawns, serving as defensive pieces to the royalty piecesof the back row, while being susceptible to long-range attack.

These and other objectives and advantages are accomplished by providinga modified chess game having a playing surface of ten rows of tensquares each, referred to as a “medieval checkerboard”. A set oftraditional chess pieces plus three new pieces: the Trebuchet, Carriage,and Guard (also known as a Huskerl), is provided to each player.Additional rules of play as described herein regarding the new MedievalChess pieces are in play.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Referring now in detail to the drawings wherein like parts aredesignated by like reference numerals throughout, there is illustratedin FIG. 1 a perspective view of present invention as it is arranged atthe beginning of game play.

Game set comprises a modified chess game having an enlarged playingsurface and one set of thirty chess pieces for each player. The gameboard is ten squares wide and ten squares deep. As with a conventionalchess or checkers board, alternating squares are distinguished bycontrasting colors. The game board is referred to as a “medievalcheckerboard” to distinguish it from a traditional chess or checkersboard.

The rules of the present invention are described as follows:conventional chess pieces are moved pursuant to conventional movementsand rules of capture, and medieval chess pieces—the Trebuchet, Carriage,and Guard—are moved according to their movements and rules of capturedefined herein, with the sequence of moving playing pieces alternatingbetween the two players. The game is ended when a player captures theopponent's King or the game is played to a stalemate, in accordance withthe traditional rules of chess.

Each player is provided with a set of thirty playing pieces, visiblydistinguishable from the other players pieces by color or other means. Aset of pieces comprise ten Pawns, eight Guards, two Carriages, twoTrebuchets, two Rooks, two Knights, two Bishops, one Queen, and oneKing. The pieces are positioned at the start of play as in conventionalchess, with the following modifications: the Trebuchets are placed inthe back row at each corner (columns A and J on a numbered medievalcheckerboard), the Guards are placed in the second row in columns A-Dand G-J, and the Carriages are placed in the second row in columns E andF in front of the King and Queen. The Pawns form the third row. Thisinitial set up of the game is described in claim 1 and illustrated inFIG. 1.

The Trebuchet is modeled after medieval siege engines: it moves slowlyand captures at a distance over the field of pieces. A Trebuchet caneither move OR capture on a player's turn, but not both. The Trebuchetcan move one square forward, backward, or sideways, but it cannot moveto an occupied square. It captures by taking an opponent's piece that isexactly three squares directly forward, backward, or sideways, orexactly two squares diagonally in any direction, and can capture overintervening pieces. As shown in FIG. 2, this results in a circular rangeof capture. To capture with the Trebuchet, the player announces thecapture and removes the opponent's piece; the Trebuchet does not movewhen it captures an opposing piece. Trebuchets cannot be retrieved bypromotion. Once captured, they are permanently removed from play. TheTrebuchet's moves and rules of capture are described in claim 3 andillustrated in FIG. 2.

The Carriage can move up to three squares in any direction, but itcannot move two consecutive squares in the same direction. The Carriagecannot move onto an occupied square while traveling or jump over otherpieces. It can capture the opponent's pieces on the last square of itsmove. It can be used as a means of escape for the King and Queen. Thisis a new move that is part of this invention, to be called “carriaging”.The King or Queen moves to the square currently occupied by a Carriage,and the Carriage is captured instead. Carriages cannot be retrieved bypromotion. For this reason, it is best to reserve carriaging for whenthe King or Queen is at risk of being captured. The Carriage's moves andrules of capture are described in claim 4 and illustrated in FIG. 3.

Note that in FIG. 3, it is not possible to indicate all possible movesthat the Carriage can make because a Carriage has the potential to landon any of 44 different squares on a single turn. FIG. 3 presentsexamples of how the Carriage can move up to three squares in anydirection, without moving more than two consecutive squares in the samedirection.

The Guard is modeled after royal bodyguards, such as the huskarls, whoformed a skilled infantry in medieval times. Guards can move forward orbackward one square. On its first move, a Guard can move two squares.Like a Pawn, it can capture only on a diagonal move, however unlike aPawn, it can capture in any direction. Unlike a Pawn, the Guard cannotbe promoted. The Guard's moves and rules of capture are described inclaim 6 and illustrated in FIG. 4.

Pieces are assigned points as follows:

-   Pawn (1)-   Huskarl/Guard (2)-   Knight (3)-   Bishop (4)-   Rook/Castle (5)-   Trebuchet (6)-   Carriage (7)-   Queen (8)-   King (10/game)

A specific design for the new chess pieces is not claimed because thereare any number of styles of chess pieces, including medieval figurines,copyrighted characters, abstract designs, and historical replicas;however, the general design for the new pieces are to be as follows:

-   -   a. The Trebuchet is to be, in the standard Staunton and Russian        styles, of a conical or triangular shape, resembling the general        shape of a trebuchet;    -   b. The Carriage is to be similar to that of a traditional        Knight, in the standard Staunton and Russian styles, in the form        of two horse heads facing forward side-by-side;    -   c. The Guard is to be similar to that of a traditional Pawn, in        the standard Staunton and Russian styles, with the addition of a        second, wider collar beneath the Pawn's collar, and is to be        slightly taller than the Pawn.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 shows the initial set up of the game. On the back row is the newTrebuchet piece, traditional Rook, Knight, Bishop, King, Queen, Bishop,Knight, and Rook, and the other new Trebuchet piece.

The second row shows the new Guard pieces (4), the new Carriage pieces(2) and four more of the new Guard pieces.

The third row shows ten Pawns, rather than the traditional 8.

FIG. 2 shows the potential moves and captures of the Trebuchet. Thediagram shows that the Trebuchet piece can move forward, backward, andsideways one square. It cannot move to an occupied square.

The Trebuchet captures pieces not by moving, but by announcing thecapture of a piece either 3 squares forward, backward, or sideways, ortwo squares diagonally. Captures can be made over intervening pieces.

FIG. 3 shows some of the potential moves for the new Carriage piece.These are not all the possibilities that the Carriage can move. It caneffectively land on any square in a 7×7 square surrounding the piece,except for the four corner pieces, resulting in 44 possible moves.

Carriages can move 1, 2, or 3 squares in any direction, but they cannotmove in the same direction two squares consecutively.

Carriages also cannot jump over pieces. If one of the three squares isoccupied, the Carriage must go around, or capture the piece on thatsquare, ending the move.

Carriages can capture a piece at the end of its move, in the same waythat traditional chess pieces capture a piece at the end of their moves.

FIG. 4 shows the Guard moves and captures. A Guard can move forward twosquares on the first move, and can move forward or backward one squareon subsequent moves.

A Guard can capture on the four squares adjacent diagonally.

What is claimed is as follows:
 1. A modified chess game as describedherein comprising: a) A square shaped game board having ten rows and tencolumns of checkered alternating colored squares; b) Two sets of gamepieces, differentiated by color or some other means; c) A novel andunique game piece, “A”, to be called a Trebuchet, comprising a set ofmovements and capabilities described herein; d) A novel and unique gamepiece, “B”, to be called a Carriage, comprising a set of movements andcapabilities described herein; e) A novel and unique game piece, “C”, tobe called a Guard or Huskarl, comprising a set of movements andcapabilities described herein; f) Each set of game pieces comprising asubset of traditional chess pieces consisting of one King, one Queen,two Rooks, two Knights, two Bishops, and ten Pawns, and a subset ofnovel and unique game pieces consisting of two game pieces of type “A”,two game pieces of type “B”, and eight game pieces of type “C”; g) Aunique initial setup of game pieces as described herein wherein the gameboard is set in the following order: i) Row 1: One “A”, Rook, Knight,Bishop, Queen, King, Bishop, Knight, Rook, one “A”; ii) Row 2: Four Cs,two Bs, four Cs; iii) Row 3: Ten Pawns; iv) Row 8: Ten Pawns; v) Row 9:Four Cs, two Bs, four Cs; and vi) Row 10: One “A”, Rook, Knight, Bishop,Queen, King, Bishop, Knight, Rook, one “A”; and h) A method of playcomprising the methods and objective of traditional chess.
 2. Themodified chess game of claim 1, wherein the traditional pieces ofchess—King, Queen, Bishop, Knight, Rook, and Pawn—retain theirconventional movement patterns and capabilities, and the new chesspieces—“A”, “B”, and “C”—comprise the unique movement patterns andcapabilities as described herein.
 3. The modified chess game of claim 2,wherein the movement patterns and capabilities of the novel and uniquepiece “A”, to be known by the name “Trebuchet”, comprises the prescribedability to move horizontally or vertically by one space to an unoccupiedspace, OR to capture in a radius from its present location at exactlyeither three (3) spaces horizontally or vertically OR at two (2) spacesdiagonally without moving from its present location by means ofannouncing the capture, and the ability to capture over other pieceswhen capturing pieces. Trebuchets cannot be retrieved by promotion. 4.The modified chess game of claim 3, wherein the movement patterns andcapabilities of the novel and unique piece “B”, to be known by the name“Carriage”, comprises the prescribed ability to move in any direction upto three (3) squares, and to optionally capture an opposing piece on thelast square of a move, and also to be prohibited from moving any twosquares in the same direction concurrently on the same move, and to beprohibited from moving to a square occupied by another game piece exceptwhen capturing a piece, nor can the Carriage jump over other pieces butit can move around other pieces.
 5. The modified chess game of claim 4,wherein the new and unique piece “B”, also known as a Carriage,comprises a new and unique movement to be called “carriaging” thatconsists of a King or Queen being moved to the square occupied by one'sown Carriage and the Carriage being taken out of play. Carriages cannotbe retrieved by promotion.
 6. The modified chess game of claim 5,wherein the movement patterns and capabilities of the novel and uniquepiece “C”, to be known by the name “Guard”, “Huskarl”, or “Karl”,comprises the prescribed ability to move vertically forward or backwardby one square or, if on the first move of that piece, up to two squaresforward, and to move diagonally in any direction up to one square tocapture an opposing piece. Unlike a Pawn, the Guard cannot be promoted.7. The modified chess game of claim 6 wherein the game can end incheckmate or stalemate according to the conventional rules of chess. 8.The modified chess game of claim 7, comprising all forms of the game andits pieces, under any name, in any media currently in existence or inany future format, including but not limited to physical board games inany material, electronic games and game play, online games and gameplay, phone applications, tournaments, representations of the game, andits unique pieces and their movements and capabilities.